Press

Source: The Oconee EnterpriseTuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting was sandwiched by citizen comments. Jim McGarvey and Lee Becker, no strangers to the dais at BOC meetings, offered comments at the beginning of the meeting when the BOC sets aside time for citizens to speak on non-agenda items.But one more speaker was given a forum at the end of the meeting. McGarvey, who later spoke up about the sewer-line extension through Jennings Mill Country Club, commented favorably on the BOC’s explorations of cooperate water and sewer solutions with Athens-Clarke County.

Becker reminded the BOC of a public forum Thursday, Sept. 15 when candidates for Post 2 will answer questions from the public.

Ben Bridges, Chuck Horton and Marcus Wiedower have all committed to attending the forum, which begins at 7 p.m. at the community center in Oconee Veterans Park.School Superintendent Jason Branch will attend to speak about the ELOST referendum that will be on the ballot. But Branch is prohibited by law from campaigning for the ELOST.

Becker said that a representative from the Georgia Restaurant Association and a local grocer would attend to speak about two additional referenda involving Sunday sale of alcohol in Oconee County.That was the topic that Annette Sledge talked about, but at the end of the meeting. Sledge, 85, arrived after the meeting started. She first approached the dais while comments were being offered about Athens Tech staying in the government annex.

BOC Chairman Melvin Davis asked her to wait and make comments after the rest of the agenda was completed. Then the commissioners adjourned to a closed session before Davis was reminded of his promise to allow Sledge to speak.

By the time she made it to the front with her walker, her Bible resting on its seat, the staff had shut down its three-minute clock. Without a time limit, her comments lasted about six minutes.

She started her remarks with scripture about the sanctity of the Sabbath. “I hope you are not going to sell alcohol on the Lord’s day,” she said. “We know it is a sin. I don’t want to sell it anytime, but especially not when we are supposed to be worshipping God.”

Sledge said she did not attend the meeting when the BOC put the issue on the ballot because she did not know about it and because she is 85. She no longer drives. A caretaker brought her to the meeting.

Outside, she said to The Oconee Enterprise, “Did I do OK? I’m just trying to be faithful to my God.”

Home office OK’dJenny Evans’ request to convert 400 square feet of her basement into a marriage counseling office at 1490 Calls Creek Circle was approved matter-of-factly.

Engineer Abe Abouhamdan said that no structural changes would be necessary. With Evans staying home instead of going to her office, he estimated a net of four more trips into and out of the neighborhood per day.